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The New Moleskine Passions

Moleskine has announced an exciting new range of products, the New Moleskine Passions and Six New Pieces in the Folio Collection.

The "Moleskine Passions" is a collection of six different journals to record and recall memories, thoughts and notes about six different passions: Recipes, Wine, Book, Film, Music and Wellness.

Moleskine lovers can use them to collect information and reviews about books they read, restaurants they visited, concerts they attended, dishes they tasted. And to share these information with others.

16 Responses to The New Moleskine Passions

This takes the total number of molie products up over 300, I think. This is not a good move. Diversifying into too many product lines means no single item can satisfy any customer’s general needs–every product suggests a specialized and exclusive use. I can’t use the wine book for journaling. If I’m going to a wine party I may have to take three different notebooks.

A huge number of specialized products puts unrealistic pressure on retailers and diminishes the appeal of the brand by complicating what were once simple or even binary purchase decisions. For instance, if I am shopping for a little notebook and I’ve heard molies are cool, I am now standing in front of a display at my local stationer’s that includes 200-300 different sizes/colors/formats. I look over at the adjacent Piccadilly display that has 6 different items at 1/3 the price. Where am I going to spend my money? If enough customers make the same (possibly very intelligent) decision, what brand is going to start getting the floor space?

Will Moleskine now start a line of shoes, bags, and computer accessories?

Really? I like new variations on products, but these make me say “WHY?”

I agree with David. These wine, movie, etc. notes can be made in a plain notebook.

I miss the days where it was simple: pocket or large, black or red. I like the Volants, as they’re plain and adaptable to any situation. I just don’t see the niche for wine, movie, etc. Moleskines. They don’t say in the format of Moleskines, or “act” like a Moleskine. They’re too gimmicky. I find these annoyingly tailored and pretentious. And, they don’t follow the Moleskine “logic and legend.” People want room for creativity, not cheesy pre-made prompts that turn the once-noteworthy grandeur of note-taking into a grammar school “fill in the blank” book. Sure, people like those niche books, but then what are they supposed to do with the lined pocket Moleskines?

If there are going to be special limited editions, why not make them matter and stay in the current format of books? Such as, a green pocket Moleskine that partially benefits some green charity, a pink pocket Moleskine that benefits breast cancer research, or a teal blue one that benefits ocean preservation/cleanliness?

Let me add: I’ve used Moleskines for years. They’re stacked up all over my bookshelves. I’ve recommended them to friends, given them as gifts, and sang their praises.

But, I’m beginning to wonder why I’m so dedicated after a few disillusionment. First, the quality dropped and wasn’t consistent. It’s still generally good quality, but not nearly as good as it used to be. Then, the prices went up… everywhere. Third, there isn’t the (sense of) online community that there once was. Plenty of people have moved on to other brands, or vanished. Now, there’s these gimmicky notebooks.. even before the issues of quality and price are reevaluated. I still like the products, overall, but am almost at the point of defecting to cheaper, more quality consistent notebooks that aren’t trying too hard. Moleskine seems to be “trying to hard” with these Passion crapbooks, and so many variations of day planners/agendas. It’s just getting to be “too much,” and losing the luster and mystique that it once had. While I like innovation and new products, it really helps if they’re good ones that benefit the consumer and the brand.

I’m a sucker for Moleskines, but the printer paper and other non-book goodies seem like a bigger stretch than pre-formatted notebooks to me. A recipe book is one thing; document carriers and non-bound papers are another.

I’m not running away anytime soon because I still love my Moleskines (and own way too many to admit). But I hope they’re not going to carry this brand into $250 fountain pens, luggage and branded Bibles and Dictionaries next.

I’m in agreement, here, too.
I used to be fixated on compartmentalizing my life – including aspects of my life as I record them in notebooks.
When I discovered Moleskine, however, I was beginning a new stage in my life where I realized that everything connects. Moleskine embodied this concept for me – that a notebook so simple and elegant could easily hold together all the various details of my life and form a cohesive reflection of my interests, passions, and quirks, despite their differences.

By creating specific notebooks for specific purposes and for those purposes ONLY, it dicourages the creation of original, personal methods of recording details about these passions. Technical improvements (EG. new softcovers, different notebook thicknesses, different sizes) are fine and make the notebooks more accessible to a variety of people, but these new variations in the notebooks’ PURPOSES will just alienate users.

I’d be curious to see what sort of blanks they have in each of the journals, and then use the format in a blank one that could handle any of the styles for my recipe/wine/film/book/wellness/assignation journal.

Either that or grumble about how their preselected blanks leave off the one thing I would have added. Either way, I would probably adapt the format beyond the choices they offer.

I desagree with quite all the comments posted here.
I think that a book about my passion can only help me to organize my thoughts…
I think that if you prefer to use a blank notebook you can continue to do it, without buy a Passion journal (which is the problem?!?).
There are a lot of different products on Moleskine display? I’m very happy because I’ve the possibility to choose, and maybe find what I really need. Moreover Moleskine products are quite a lot but they are easy to comprehend because they have nice and coloured banderoles…
I love Moleskine and I hope I can continue to buy new and interesting products!

I do not agree with negative comments.Moleskine choose to give a new chioce, not the other choice.
Passions are for a kind of Moleskiner, maybe not for anyone.
The idea is great,probably I’ll not use. Because I’m not an organized person. But I like aworld with various choice for various people.
whan I used to be achief I wrote in my black moleskine, all still perfect nowadays altough of my mess.
it depends on how they are used, but Moleskine journals are for people, not for ever.

The Passions series defeats the purpose and mentality of the Moleskine brand (creativity and space to write, make art, and think freely).

Passions are only one step up from color-by-number art sketchbooks.

Can people not muster up enough creativity, self-organization, and logic to use a blank book (of any brand) to record their wine, book, and other indulgences? The problem with these is not that they’re a new product (they’re certainly NOT interesting); it’s that they’re steering too far off from the brand.

Each brand needs a solid identity, with products revolving around this identity. For Moleskine, its identity is blank sketchbooks and writing notebooks. These Passions are mere (lame) attempts at color-by-number “art” inspiration, further numbing down what’s left of the Moleskine identity. It does nothing to further the brand, other than perhaps sucker a few wine/movie enthusiasts into color-by-number “Passion” binders. These diffuse the brand’s sense of freedom, creativity, and self-creation, instead offering a sad color-by-number/fill-in-the blank book that lacks inspiration.

No wonder the non-Moleskine people in the world think us Moleskinners are pretentious! Just listen to yourselves!
If, like me, you love the black notebooks, and you love opening it at the next blank page to fill with your thoughts and ideas, then be happy. If other people want to buy gimmicky Passion notebooks, that’s up to them. What does it matter if Moleskines are getting more commercial? It doesn’t change the basic notebook that we all love.

In a way, this product line is a good idea, as it will cater to a very specific market. For instance, the Wellness Journal could be a good “logbook,” if you wish, for someone who is recovering from physical injury or disease. The music journal could work for budding composers and lyricists, or for people exploring new genres. The Wine Journal is for connoisseurs, while the Recipe Journal will work for chefs.

The product line compartmentalizes passions. That being said, I personally wouldn’t get any one of these notebooks. Rather, I will stick with my one Moleskine (a Daily Planner), a notebook that allows me to mix all of my passions: love, music, books, movies – life, in general – about how the whole experience being greater than the sum of its parts.